U.S. Route 206 - History

History

Prior to 1927, what is now US 206 in New Jersey was legislated as part of several routes. Between Bordentown and Trenton, the current alignment was designated as a part of pre-1927 Route 2 in 1916. Between Trenton and Princeton, present-day US 206 became the southernmost part of pre-1927 Route 13 in 1917. In 1921, the current route from Princeton north to Bedminster Township was legislated as part of pre-1927 Route 16. After the U.S. Highway System was created in 1926, the route between Bordentown and Trenton became the northernmost part of US 130 while it became a part of US 1 between Trenton and Princeton. In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering, several state highways were legislated along present-day US 206. Route 39 followed the route from Hammonton to White Horse, while Route 37 was designated along it between White Horse and Trenton. From Trenton north to Princeton, pre-1927 Route 13 was replaced by Route 27. Present-day US 206 between Princeton and Newton became part of Route 31, a route that was to go past Newton to the New York border near Unionville, while the portion north of Newton to the Delaware River in Montague became Route S31, a spur of Route 31. Another spur of Route 31, Route 31A, was legislated in 1941 to run from Route 31 in Princeton to Route 33 in Hightstown; only a small portion of this was built over the Northeast Corridor railroad line and is now Route 64.

US 206 was designated in the later 1930s, running from US 30 in Hammonton, New Jersey north to US 6 and US 209 in Milford, Pennsylvania. By this time, the US 1 and US 130 designations were removed from the route onto new alignments. In 1938, US 206/Route 31 was designated to bypass Somerville, the former alignment was known as Route 177 from the 1960s until 1974. In the 1940s, US 206/Route 39 was realigned to the south of White Horse; the former alignment was known as Route 160 between the 1960s and the 1980s. Also in the 1940s, the northern terminus of US 206 was moved to its current location at US 209 in Dingman Township, Pennsylvania.

In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, the state highways running concurrent with US 206 were removed. When US 206's current alignment bypassing Columbus was built by the 1960s, the designation of Route 170 was given to the old alignment through Columbus; this road was turned over to Burlington County in the 1980s and is now CR 690. In the late 1960s, a freeway was proposed for the US 206/Route 54 corridor, running from US 30 in Hammonton south to Route 55 and the proposed Route 60 near Vineland and Millville . Originally, a parkway had been planned in 1932 to serve the US 206 corridor between Hammonton and Trenton, but never materialized. The freeway between Vineland/Millville and Hammonton was to cost $47 million and was intended to provide a better route between the two areas than the existing two-lane roads. However, it was never built due to environmental and financial issues. A freeway was also proposed for US 206 in northwestern New Jersey during the 1960s. In 1964, a Route 94 freeway was planned to follow US 206 between Netcong and Newton on its way to the proposed Route 23 freeway in Hamburg. The Tri-State Transportation Commission proposed a longer US 206 freeway that was to connect I-78 and I-287 in Bedminster Township north to Newton, incorporating the southern portion of the Route 94 proposal. This freeway was intended to relieve traffic on existing roads and provide access to recreation areas. By the late 1960s, the US 206 freeway would be planned by the NJDOT to connect I-80 in Netcong north to Montague. This freeway was proposed to provide access to Tocks Island as well as alleviating traffic on the existing road. However, like the US 206 freeway proposal in southern New Jersey, it was not built.

Since 1974, a bypass has been planned for the congested part of US 206 through Hillsborough. In 2002, the NJDOT modified plans for the bypass. The bypass is to be mostly four lanes wide and run to the east of Hillsborough, with the southernmost portion only being two lanes; one interchange was planned with CR 514. The road is to meet a Smart Growth goal by preserving land and eliminating two planned interchanges that would have increased congestion. In July 2009, it was announced that construction of the US 206 Hillsborough bypass, which is projected to cost $148 million, would start in 2010. On June 24, 2010, a contract was given to Carbro Constructors Corporation to build the first phase between CR 514 and Hillsborough Road. Construction on this portion, planned to cost $43 million, began on August 18, 2010 with completion planned for 2012. The remaining segments are planned to be bid on in 2012 with the entire bypass completed in 2015.

US 206 is currently being widened in Byram Township to six lanes, with completion expected in 2011. This construction follows a decade of controversy, including concerns that the widening would violate the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act passed in 2004; an exemption to this act allowed the construction to proceed. The widening is being done in order to eliminate backups on the current two-lane stretch during rush hours.